PR Week: Leeds United scores own goal with new badge

Leeds United Football Club's marketing team has had a tough 24 hours - the launch of a new badge was widely rubbished and the club has now promised to consult further. PR professionals are not impressed.

The club announced a new crest, that it said had been created following "six months of research" and consultation, across its digital channels around midday on Wednesday.

The reaction was overwhelmingly negative. Rival club Aston Villa, the English language Twitter feed of a Russian club, and plenty of other social media users rubbished the new emblem, with some making comic suggestions about its inspiration and origins, and a local MP wrote to the club to express his displeasure.

Just a few hours later the club told media that it accepted that it would have to go through further consultation before adopting the badge, a comment it has reiterated on its website this morning.

David Alexander, former football writer and founder of agency Calacus, said the club deserved a modicum of praise. "That they have announced that they would review the redesign after widespread negative responses is to their credit," he said.

Alexander, however, also cautioned against the dangers of consultation, saying: "We've seen with polls that resulted in Boaty McBoatface that these things are prone to abuse."

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